How to Freeze Mandarin Oranges

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References Tested

Mandarin oranges are a sweet, delicious fruit you can eat as a snack or put into baked goods. If you have a lot of mandarin oranges, you probably don’t want them to go to waste! Thankfully, there are a few ways you can keep your oranges around for months to enjoy them for a long time to come.

Question 1 of 9:

Can you freeze whole mandarin oranges?

No, whole mandarins don’t freeze well. If they still have a peel, there’s a chance they could freeze unevenly, leading to a frozen orange on the outside and a rotting orange on the inside. If you’re going to freeze mandarins, take a few minutes to peel them first.^{[1]
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- If you’d like to store whole mandarins, keep them in the fridge or on the counter.

Question 2 of 9:

Can you freeze peeled mandarin oranges?

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Yes, if you put them into freezer bags. Peel the oranges completely and stack the slices in a freezer bag in a single layer. Write the date on the bag so you don’t forget how old they are before throwing them in the freezer.^{[2]
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- Try to eat your mandarins within 6 to 12 months for the best flavor and texture.^{[3]
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Thaw the mandarins for 20 to 30 minutes before you eat them. When you’d like to snack on your frozen mandarins, take the bag out of the freezer and leave it on the counter at room temperature. After about half an hour, your mandarin slices will be soft enough to eat.^{[4]
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Question 3 of 9:

Do frozen mandarins taste good?

They taste great! The freezer preserves the texture and flavor of the oranges well, so you shouldn’t lose out on any of that citrusy-goodness. The sooner you eat your oranges, the better they’ll taste, so get to snacking!^{[5]
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- Your oranges might not taste as good if water or air gets into the bag, so make sure it’s sealed completely.

Question 4 of 9:

What can you do with frozen mandarin oranges?

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Eat them on their own. Use frozen oranges as a cool treat in the summer when it gets hot out. Simply pop them out of the bag and enjoy!^{[6]
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- Watch out for brain freeze! Too many frozen slices might give you a headache.
2
Put them into smoothies. Combine your frozen mandarin slices with milk or yogurt for a creamy smoothie. Top it off with blueberries, raspberries, or bananas, and add a dash of honey for some extra sweetness. Pulse all your ingredients in the blender until your mixture is smooth.^{[7]
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- Garnish your smoothie with a slice of mandarin orange on the side.
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Top salads and yogurt. Chop up your frozen slices into small bits and sprinkle them onto a summer salad or a yogurt parfait. The citrus zest will add a bit of extra flavor to your meal for a fun, summery twist.^{[8]
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Question 5 of 9:

What is the best way to store mandarin oranges?

It depends on how long you want to keep them for. Unpeeled oranges will be fine at room temperature for about 1 week, while peeled ones will only last for about 1 day. If you want to keep your oranges around for a while, consider refrigerating or freezing them.^{[9]
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- If you’re slicing up oranges to put in a lunch, seal them in a plastic bag and pack them with an ice pack so they stay fresh.

Question 6 of 9:

Can you store mandarin oranges in the fridge?

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You can store cut oranges in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Put them in an airtight container and keep them cold to extend their lifespan. Try to eat your sliced oranges as soon as possible for the best flavor and texture.^{[10]
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You can keep whole oranges in the fridge for 1 to 2 months. Simply put your oranges in the fridge and leave them be. Grab them when you want a quick snack in the afternoon or pack them for lunch.^{[11]
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- You don’t have to wrap up whole oranges because their peels keep them protected.

Question 7 of 9:

How do you can mandarin oranges?

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Peel the oranges and split up the slices. Try to take off as much of the stringy white bits in the middle to remove the bitter flavor. Split up your orange into small slices so you can fit more into each can.^{[12]
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2
Fill the canning jars with hot water and orange slices. If you want to, you can use a syrup mixture made of sugar and water; otherwise, just use hot water. Fill up the jars, leaving about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) of room at the top.^{[13]
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- Make sure you’re using jars specifically for canning that have been sanitized. Otherwise, your oranges may go bad.
3
Boil the jars in hot water for 30 to 35 minutes. This will seal the canning jars to preserve the oranges so they don’t go bad. Make sure the jars are entirely covered with water, then set a timer. When the cans are done, remove them with tongs and dry them off.^{[14]
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- You can store your cans at room temperature.

Question 8 of 9:

What can you do with a lot of mandarin oranges?

1
Make orange juice. Slice the oranges in half and press each one onto a juicer. Store your freshly squeezed juice in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.^{[15]
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- You can drink the juice on its own, or you can add it to smoothies and dessert recipes.
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Put them into a dessert. Orange cake, orange cheesecake, orange jaffa cake, orange syrup cakes, and orange cupcakes are only a few of the recipes you can make with mandarin oranges. Put on your apron and get to mixing for a fun, delicious way to use up your abundance of oranges.^{[16]
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- Since oranges are so sweet on their own, you can use them as a natural sweetener instead of adding a ton of sugar.
3
Add them to a gelatin mold. Peel your mandarin oranges and throw them into a gelatin mix. Let the gelatin set in the fridge for about 1 hour, then enjoy a sweet, jiggly treat.^{[17]
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- You can use orange-flavored gelatin to match your orange slices, or you can mix it up with lime or lemon gelatin.

Question 9 of 9:

How do you tell if a mandarin orange has gone bad?

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It might smell or taste sour. When you pick up the orange, you may notice a rotten or rancid smell. If you bite into a bad orange, it probably won’t taste great.^{[18]
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- They might also smell or taste sickeningly sweet, which is another indication they’ve gone bad.
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It might have dark spots or mold on it. If the oranges are whole, they could have bruises or blemishes on the peel. You might also see spots of white mold on the orange where the stem is.^{[19]
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- Mold on the outside usually indicates mold on the inside, too.